On This Day: Names I Choose to Remember

In ancient (and now modern day Egypt), there was a practice of removing the Pharaoh's cartouche from all official mention.  I am going to follow that tradition by putting up names of people whose names I choose to remember:


Rick Rescorla: He didn't die for a cause.  He just did what he had to.


Todd Beamer: Facing sure death, he chose to fight until the end, he did not hide waiting for death to find him.


Rafael Peralta: A man who sacrificed so others might live, not a man who sacrificed others for his ego.


Capt. Brian Chontosh: He ran towards the fight to save his men, he did not hide behind his men to save himself.


Sgt Maj. Brad Kasal: He refused to leave until all of the wounded were extracted, he did not leave his men behind to be massacred while he escaped.


Michael P. Murphy: Broke cover to save his men and exposed himself to the enemy, he did not hide behind fifteen foot walls or a defenseless woman to save his own skin.


Sal Giunta: Actually spent fifteen months clinging to side of mountain without running water or a bathroom and ended up fighting off overwhelming odds to save his friends, he did not spend his days at leisure inside a million dollar mansion, taking lunch on a shaded patio in comfort while most of his men lived in caves and mud huts. 


Father Mychal P. Judge: Spent his life spreading the message of God's eternal love dying as he gave benedictions for rescuers saving lives and last rites to the dead and dying, he did not issue religious messages condoning murder and spreading hate in the name of God.


These names will continue to be listed until the Pharaoh's name is erased from memory.

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Wednesday Heroes

Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby
21 years old from Overbrook, Oklahoma
3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
May 14, 2006

Hatak Yuka Keyu Martin Yearby was remembered in funeral services as a small town boy who balanced his Choctaw tribal heritage and his military life.

He did traditional American Indian dances with grace, compassion, discipline and free spirit — "the way he lived his life," the Rev. Timm Emmons said Monday.

"He had a desire to be in the military since he was a young boy. And he believed in what he was doing. He was a warrior, and he was a hero and he finished the course."

Yearby was killed by a roadside bomb, along with fellow Lance Cpl. Jose S. MarinDominguez Jr., in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, two months after he arrived in that country.

Friends and family, fellow American Indians, teachers and classmates filed past his open casket for an hour after the funeral while a U.S. Marine Corps honor guard stood at attention.

About 1,000 people attended a funeral service meant to celebrate the life of the 21-year-old newlywed from Overbrook in southern Oklahoma’s Love County.

Those who spoke in the packed Marietta High School auditorium talked of how he loved to hunt, but never came back with anything. He played tricks, won dancing awards at powwows and appeared on a recruiting magazine for Upward Bound because of a headdress he made from a T-shirt.

Nine of his friends stood on stage to remember Yearby. Jake Barber spoke for them, pausing several times to regain his composure.

"Many great words describe Hatak. The only real word you need to say is 'brother'. He will always be known to us as the ace of spades, the most important card in the deck. He touched us so dearly that words cannot explain,".

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. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

I think I mentioned these gentlemen before, but I wanted to point out that three of the four men who received Distinguished Flying Crosses for their actions in Iraq are from MISSOURI!

Honoring Marine Cpl Valdez

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 1, 2007) – (June 18, 2007) -- A 15-minute drive through Fallujah, Iraq, on June 23, 2005, turned into one of the worst days in history for female U.S. Marines. A suicide bomber drove his car into a convoy, causing a massive explosion that killed three women and three men and severely burnt seven other women.

Valdez was part of a group of women who had volunteered to man entry points to Fallujah in 2005 to search women and children in order to comply with Iraqi customs regarding the protection of women from unknown men. While there are often commentary that derides such attention to local customs during a war, their efforts were part of the program that allowed the marines to win over the people of Fallujah. These efforts have made Fallujah much more calm compared to the past and other areas around Baghdad. This even contributed to the larger efforts that eventually led to the Anbar Awakening that has largely pacified western Iraq.

Still, Cpl Valdez was much more personally responsible for the success of the marines in battling IEDs, the weapon most responsible for deaths and injuries of our troops in Iraq:

Valdez, a Purple Heart Medal recipient, was an invaluable member of the 2nd Marine Division Communication Operations Section during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Valdez’s most significant work was with Division’s Counter Improvised Explosive Device Working Group. The success of the tests conducted by CIEDWG was in a large part attributed to Valdez’s knowledge of single-channel radios.

The impact Valdez made in her field was a driving force behind the dedication of a top communications training facility.

The communication facility was dedicated with her mother Elida Valdez present. A plaque with her picture graces the wall.

“We have not traveled these long distances to honor a building,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Sylvain, the communications information systems chief for Marine Forces Reserve. “We pay tribute to not only Corporal Valdez but what she represents. She’s a perfect selection to not only represent the communications community but the (noncommissioned officer) corps.”

Before the ceremony concluded, the crowd witnessed the first Radio Operators Course class graduation from the newly-named Valdez Training Facility.

Reflections on service and sacrifice

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 18, 2007) -- Friends, families, fellow Marines and sailors gathered to honor the service, commitment and friendship of fallen brothers of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, May 25, who were killed in action while conducting combat operations in Iraq.

The battalion suffered a loss of 11 Marines and one Navy corpsman while fighting the violent insurgency throughout Ramadi, Iraq, on an extended nine-month tour from 2006-2007.

“They are brothers in a way few can truly understand,” Jurney said. “The nature of our shared hardships creates a special bond between our Marines and sailors like no other. I know each of these men shared that special bond and brotherhood with all these men here today.”

The young men of the battalion entered the extremely dangerous city of Ramadi where there were 70-80 firefights a week, according to Jurney.

“Their courage, bravery, commitment and selfless acts were simply amazing,” Jurney said.

By the time they were leaving Ramadi, there was barely one firefight a month to account for. Families and businesses felt safer and were returning to the city because these service members were leaving it in a better state.

“These young men and all those that stand before you made a difference,” Jurney said. “What they did mattered.”

One of these Marines was Lance Cpl Michael Sanchez:

Lance Cpl. Michael A. Schwarz was remembered as a Marine that was not afraid to take the lead. “With all due respect Corporal, you’re married and you’re not going anywhere first,” was what Schwarz told another Marine in a time of danger. That’s the kind of Marine he was, a friend said.

Matt Sanchez in Iraq says: There are no whiners here.

Michael Yon makes his final report from the British Area of Operations: Death Or Glory Part IV

Task Force Grizzly Year in Review

Operation Medusa

Without hesitation Williams declares his favorite mission was Operation Medusa, a 22-day operation for which his Soldiers had six hours notice to prepare – a mission to take an objective their coalition counterparts found they weren’t able to accomplish alone.

“NATO had just taken over operations in RC-South,” Williams recalled. “It was the first NATO fight as an operation force in theater. The Canadians tried to do it without U.S. support because they wanted to be able to say, ‘We can do this on our own.’” But they couldn’t, he said.

“They couldn’t cross the river; there were just too many Taliban in the area. So they came to us to develop our task force and to deploy out there and have a Canadian company, an Afghan battalion and our guys, and it was to fence the enemy in,” Williams said.

“With six hours notice we produced the order, rolled our task force out there. We had a convoy that was about 50 vehicles and we moved in there, secured Panjwayi and one side of the ridge, and were able to keep the Taliban fixed for a few days. Then we called in and said ‘Hey, we see a hole, we think we can cross.’ and they let us,” said Williams.

What came next was like a scene taken from any heroic wartime movie. “We crossed under fire, used smoke, CAS (Close Air Support), engaged in direct enemy fire, but we got the guys across, seized the area and the next day took an objective that nobody else could take. All summer, they couldn’t take it, so we did. We took it, under fire, fighting through trench lines and compounds,” Williams said. The success of Operation Medusa helped secure Panjway and Pashmul.

Speaking of heroes, our men are in a huge fight in both Afghanistan and Iraq, battling Al Qaida elements on both fronts.

Let us pray for them and keep them in our thoughts.

Finally, I there are some heroes who are in uniform here, who work hard to save lives and sometimes give them:

The Nine: They rescued two warehouse workers from the roof and then they gave their lives to finish putting out the fire.

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Wednesday Heroes: Inspiring and Death Defying

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Malinda

69-year-old Bert Brady has never stepped foot in Iraq or Afghanistan, yet many soldiers who have know who he is and appreciate what he's done for them. You see, for the past year Mr. Brady has made a trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport nearly every morning to welcome home returning American troops. Bert Brady, along with fellow veterans, is a member of the Welcome Home a Hero program. They make sure that every soldier who steps off a plane in Dallas gets a special homecoming.

Brady shows up each day with the goal of making soldiers feel appreciated and proud of their service. He's often joined by veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars who did not get a warm reception when they returned from battle.

"We are not going to forget them like a lot of Vietnam soldiers have been forgotten," Brady said. "We are not going to forget the soldiers of today."

To read more about Bert Brady, you can go to ABCnews.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. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Tactical air controller receives Silver Star, for actions during firefight

For a special-forces team in the heat of battle, air cover can be the difference between life and death. Staff Sgt. Covel was assigned in Iraq to work with an elite team of 8 Army special-forces soldiers and 10 “peshmerga” – indigenous Kurdish guerilla fighters. In June 2004, part of the team headed from its safe house in the city center back to base to re-supply. While they were gone, they received a call that an attack on the safe house had begun. Based on previous engagements, however, the team assumed it would be a quick skirmish – even though some intelligence had warned of a massive offensive that was in the works. By the time the team returned to the house, they realized they were under an extremely fierce attack – an attack that would last 36 hours and involve an estimated 200 insurgents.

As the tactical air controller, Covel quickly made his way to his battle positions on the roof of an adjacent building so he could locate the enemy positions and direct air support. Insurgents were ready, and accurately fired on him as he crossed the short open space. As he described it later, “It felt for a moment like I was in some sort of movie, running as the dirt kicked up around me.”

Army Reservist volunteers to train Iraqi National Police

For many, it may be hard to believe that people volunteer specifically to go to Iraq , given the known dangers and hardship. For Maj. Bonaldo, it was a question of duty and service: “I volunteered to go in part because I had never deployed before . . . I felt that I needed to step up . . . [and] I felt I could make a difference.” For the fledgling Iraqi police force he helped, his contributions were invaluable.

Heroes and Angels of All Walks of Life

LeAnne Rimes Gives Wounded Iraq Vet Special Van

PALM BAY, Fla. - Iraq veteran Peter Reid has gotten a boost from LeAnn Rimes.

A 2004 mortar attack in Iraq's Anbar province left Reid, a Navy Seabee, partially paralyzed, blind in one eye and dependent on a motorized wheelchair. He also suffered a brain injury, and bits of shrapnel remain in his head and body.

Reid hadn't left his Palm Bay house for months because it took two people to lift him into and out of his van.

Now he's looking forward to shopping trips with his wife, Michele, because of a gift from Rimes.

Cincinnati Soldier Thwarts Bomber with 4 tons of Explosives in Dump Truck

Soldiers of a 10th Mountain Division battalion, deep in the heart of Iraq’s bloodiest region, are alive and well today because one young soldier from Norwood was on lookout Sunday afternoon.

Spc. Brandon Rork, a 24-year-old 2002 graduate of Norwood High School, was on guard atop Patrol Base Warrior Keep on Sunday, manning a 240 Bravo machine gun and keeping a lookout for danger.

What he found could have reduced Patrol Base Warrior Keep to rubble and left dozens, possibly hundreds, of his fellow soldiers in the 2-14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, dead on the ground.

Apache Troop Makes Friends with the Littlest

Soldiers' Angels Roger Godskesen

Geneva resident Roger Godskesen is an Angel, but he doesn’t have wings or dance on the head of a pin.

Godskesen, 57, is the tactical medical support director for Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit volunteer group helping members of the armed forces and their families.

Since it formed in 2003, the group has sent thousands of care packages and supply backpacks, helped people “adopt” soldiers, sent letters from home, and helped the families of the deployed.

“There are well over 100,000 members, and it’s all through the Internet,” said Godskesen, who served as a medic at Walter Reed military hospital during the Vietnam War.

For Godskesen, finding a way to help has taken on a larger life than he ever imagined.

Walter Reed Prosthetic Technician 'Pulls' for Troops

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2007 – For prosthetic technician Jared Scott McClure, it's all about the "pull."

Walter Reed Army Medical Center prosthetic technician Jared Scott McClure works to remove the test socket from the plaster cast of a patient's residual limb. How well he does his job determines the fit and function of the permanent socket, and, ultimately, how well the servicemember performs with their prosthetic. Defense Dept. photo by Fred W. Baker III
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

He's referring to the process in which he pulls a hot sheet of plastic over the plaster mold of an amputee's residual limb to make a test socket for the patient's prosthetic leg.

"The pull is everything," he said, admiring his latest work, a test socket for a female patient who is an amputee at the ankle.

McClure said the goal is to get the plastic consistent, but heavier in specific pressure points. How well he does his job determines the fit and function of the permanent socket and, ultimately, how well servicemembers perform with their prostheses.

This is his second attempt at this test socket. The first was not good enough, he said.

A Navy veteran, McClure said he always wanted to work in the medical field but didn't care for hospitals. "I like to get my hands dirty. I like working with hammers and tools and stuff," he said.

As a prosthetic technician, his job is part science, part art, and a lot of muscle.

McClure said he was struggling in college after leaving the Navy, and wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He learned about the school from his Veterans Affairs counselor. McClure said he was hesitant at first, but was sold after talking to the staff there.

"Within five minutes of talking to the instructor, I knew. I was like 'Wow, this is it. Where do I sign up?' And here it is, three years later, I'm in D.C. working at Walter Reed fitting legs on guys who went to war," he said.

Alex Becker was injured in a Iraq town called Karma.

The 21-year-old, who was shot and wounded during a mission near Fallujah with the U.S. Marines on New Year’s Day, knows how surprising that is.

“It’s pretty weird,” he said. “I guess it happened for a reason.”

Becker, a lance corporal who was deployed to Iraq last July, served as a machine gunner for his convoy. When it was attacked, his fellow Marines automatically demonstrated their extensive training, he recalls.

“It didn’t register that I had been shot for 30 seconds, because I was focused on my job and making sure everyone was safe,” he said. “Everyone did their job very well. … Everything happened real fast. I stayed calm and did what I could.”

Becker was taken to an area hospital before being transported to a German hospital, and later, back to the United States.

Perhaps karma followed him as he astonished doctors with the rapid improvements to his left arm, wrist and hand, which were severely injured in the fighting.

What’s more is that after months of recovering in military hospitals and undergoing eight surgeries, Alex arrived in Aberdeen last week in time for two very important events.

On Friday, he was baptized at the Aberdeen First Presbyterian Church with his two 6-year-old brothers, Sam Becker and Dominic Becker-Brown. His mother, Stephanie, works as a secretary at the church.

Continuing story of Maj. David Rozelle who lost his right foot in Iraq (famous as seen jogging with President Bush)

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2007 – Army Maj. David Rozelle walked with difficultly up the steep dirt path that cuts through the grass and away from a concrete sidewalk running along the north side of Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

He apologized for his awkwardness.

"I’m trying on a new foot today," he said. "I like it. But any time you get a new foot, you’ve got to get used to it."

As an armored cavalry troop commander, Rozelle lost his right foot to an anti-tank mine in Iraq in 2003.

Since then, he has been cutting new paths for amputees in the Army. Rozelle is an expert skier, a tri-athlete, and one of the first Iraq war amputees to be deemed fit to return to active duty. Only a little more than a year after losing his foot, Rozelle stepped back in front of an armored cavalry formation as commander and led his troops back to the same battlefield that claimed his foot, almost cost him his Army career, and nearly took his life.

And, as fate would have it, Rozelle later returned to the very medical center that gave him back his foot, his Army career and, for the most part, his life as he enjoyed it before his injury.

Heroic Pilots Land Helicopter After Being Shot

The story details are via Major Juanita Chang, as told by the pilots:

Two veteran pilots, Chief Warrant Officers Leif Neely and Jason Anderson, were sitting in a Command Post (CP) in Iraq one evening in May.

“We were in our command post when we heard that some local Iraqis were reporting that there was a [car bomb] attack. We found it was odd that there was no chatter on the radio, as there usually is when something like this is happening,” recounts Anderson.

The pilots immediately left the CP.

“So, we fly out to check things out and everything appears calm from our view,” Anderson continues. “Then our tactical command center radios us and tells us to go check out two other locations and we do that”

“Then we heard that there were reports that the Iraqi army and Iraqi police were being attacked,” Anderson says unfolding the events as he remembers them.

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Special Forces: Lessons for Everyone

I thought this was a great video to watch about our military special forces. At one point, they are reviewing the SERE program and one of the instructors talks about how history has informed them on the appropriate methods to evade capture. He says that one of the biggest mistakes that the Vietnam era downed pilots would make was to pass over sources of water because they didn't think they needed it right that moment. A day or so later, they were low on water, dehydrated and would make the mistake of circling back to the source of water they passed over previously. This mistake often led to their capture.

At another point in the program, history was also reviewed with these participants to re-enforce the common sense that their worst day during evasion and escape was better than their best day as a POW or hostage.

Finally, a piece of the program focused on Special Forces Medal of Honor recipients. Most of the recipients said that they didn't deserve a medal for doing what they were trained to do or that there were many who deserved such a medal, but their were no witnesses. Thomas Norris said that they were just common everyday people that were put in a place and time where they could use their training successfully. The last recipient interviewed, Mike Thornton, said that he wears the medal in honor of the 1, 850,000 men and women who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. He said that Medal of Honor recipients were not owners of the medal, but custodians for all those who have served, are serving and will serve in the future.

Watch this great video about Special Forces:

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Soldier Down - Kick Stands Up: PGR Missions Confirmed

John at Castle Arrggh! linked to the story of two soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan on Sunday by a loan gunman in uniform. Reports indicate the Afghani was dressed as an Afghan Soldier, but a message in Angel forums from a soldier in the unit indicates that he might have been dressed as a Afghan police officer.

Thanks Tammy,
I love poems like those, they always bring a little Tear to my eyes.

Its been a little tough here the past couple days, we lost A couple guys from here Sunday. We had a memorial service for Them on Tuesday, I knew one of them, not close but still, when You walk up to their picture and salute them, its heart breaking..
It was a senseless shooting, two guys killed two wounded, some frigging clown dressed up as a police officer.

Well we go on, and deal with it,

The Patriot Guard Riders are confirming the mission for Monday, May 14th in Leavenworth for Col. Harrison. Additional information will be updated here when it is received. Stand-by for details.

A special message was posted in the PGR Forums for the family and in rememberance of Col. Harrison:

To the family of COL James W. Harrison Jr. We have mourned the loss of this great leader who has served his country with honor and was well respected amongst his fellow soldiers. COL Harrison - I have been honored to serve as your Executive officer of the 5th Military Police Battalion CID for a year and half from 1999-2000 in Kasierslautern, Germany. Your superb leadership was well respected by the entire Battalion as well as the 202d Military Police Group CID. Thanks for your continued frienship over the past eight years. As my mentor, I thank you for all that you and your family have done for my family and myself. You were loved and well respected by the Hunt family and we have been honored to again serve with you here at Fort Leavenworth. Our families were close friends and we enjoyed the dinners at your house. When we heard the news our family was shocked and we immedately went to your house to comfort your family. My kids (all 8) made cards for your wife and boys and we sent over some pictures of my promotion ceremony that you participated in last fall. It has been very difficult for all of us who knew you well and were close to you. Our country has lost a great leader who was well loved and repected by his troops. I understand how hard it was to pull your retirement paper work and take this job in Afghanistan. You have sacrificed your life for our great nation. You will not be forgotten and you will always be remembered. I have your picture with myself and my wife at my promotion ceremony in my office at work. I was honored to have you participate in my promotion ceremony (Pictures enclosed). It will hang in my office always, where ever the Army takes me. You will be missed - my mentor, my friend. Our thoughts and prayers will always be with the Harrison family who have supported thier husband and father throughout his military career. May God bless you with his eternal peace always!

Hans F. Hunt
Lieutenant Colonel, Military Police
(Patriot Guard Member)

All Angels, military, PGR and troop supporters stand by.

MSgt Will Sabulu

There will be a Memorial Service/Military Roll Call for Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Friday May, 11th at 11am at Soldiers Chapel on Fort Leonard Wood.

The PGR has been invited and we, will provide a flag line for this service. Also MSG Sabalu is scheduled to arrive at Ft Wood sometime on Saturday. So final arrangements have not been set. Keep reading this thread, I will update it as information is available..

Joe Smith
Sen Mo Ride Capt

Update on the Ride Mission for his funeral has not been provided. Stand-by for details.

Special messages in the forums:

Wil was a friend of mine and was a member of our Family, Freedom Of Road Riders. He was loved by all that knew him, with his positive outlook on everything and his enduring smile. Wil volunteered to go over to Afghanistan, because he felt as a soldier, that he needed to serve in this conflict against terrorism. He was due to come home to us in three weeks.

Wil, I thank you for your service, for your ultimate sacrifice to preserve my freedoms, and I weep at your loss, our Chilly Willy

From Keith at Post 1

To the members of the PGR,
I would like to thank everybody for their heartfelt wishes and condolences for MSG Sabalu. I have known Wil for several years now as his supervisor, fellow NCO and friend and I can honestly say that he was one of the most honest, hardworking and trustworthy men I have known. He was not only well liked by his soldiers and peers but also his supervisors. He was the NCO that people knew that they could count on to not only get the job done but get it done properly. Amy, I know that the upcoming times are going to be extremely rough but if there is anything that I can do please let me know. I have spoken to several members from the DB and they have all expressed their sorrow at losing Wil. The 31E's will not be the same for having lost such a great person.

SFC Collier, Keith (RET)

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Men of the Pen and Sword

Interview with Milblogger, Doc in the Box about military blogging.

Hat tip Milblogs

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From Thunder Run: Stokely Family Continues to Give

He was named Bubba at an early age by his younger brother who couldn't say "brother". When she first talked, she shortened it even more to Bubs. He was 23 and she was soon to be 13 as she watched her oldest brother march to war.

Three months later, she sat front row in the Georgia State Capitol Rotunda as local and national media snapped her picture during the Governor's Prayer Vigil for the State's recent heavy losses of its National Guard soldiers. Her brother, a Georgia National Guard member, had just been killed two days earlier by a road side bomb. Then, less than a week later, with media again looking on, she sat on the stage of her county's new Performing Arts Center as her brother was honored in a Memorial Service attended by 900 even before his body returned home from Iraq.

A few days later, as her brother's flag draped casket arrived home, she rode in the family SUV, at times standing through the sun roof waving an American Flag as thousands lined the highway to welcome her brother home. As if that wasn't enough, the next day she stood tall and poised as she greeted nearly a thousand guests at the funeral home visitation. Her brother was the first family member she would bury as she wept bitterly as a 21 gun salute volleyed, the mournful sound of TAPS played, and the Honor Guard folded the flag that had draped his casket.

Her life was now changed forever, for the brother who was to teach her how to drive, chase away her first boyfriend, be there to cheer at her graduation, and be an uncle to her children had given his life for the country and family he loved so very much. Being a teenage girl emerging to a young lady is hard on a good day. But with such, she had to do all this while being thrust into a public spotlight.

Then, just four months after her brother's death, tragedy struck as she almost lost her own life and in that same instant thought her dad had died as well when a car ran a stop sign, T-boned them in her door, sheering it off and they rolled and flipped end over end. Momentarily unconscious, she awoke and screamed out "Dad, are you all right" as severe pain racked her body. EMTs quickly strapped her to a back board and rushed her to a trauma center with head, neck and back injuries. Even at that, she called out continually "dad, are you o.k., is that really my dad up there - is he o.k." Fortunately, the hospital stay was brief for the concussion that she suffered but it took a year for her to make it back 95% from the neck and back injuries.

Her activities were limited - she had danced competitively since she was three, and now that was gone due to her injuries. She couldn't do the simple physical task of even carrying her own book bag and had to sit in awkward positions and in constant pain, yet she never let her academics slip. On weekends she remained at home for what fun is it to sit in the corner racked with pain and unable to do the slightest physical stress that goes with the typical fun activities at her teenage girlfriends' parties.

As if this were not enough, her life was to change again, for the beloved pit bull, Patches, one of her fallen brother's two dogs, died. She had adopted Patches even as Mike was leaving for Iraq and promised him to faithfully care for her. But, her best care, even that of the Vet, was no match for the cancer that took Patches. She had come to love Patches so, and the love was mutual, as Patches slept in her room and ever watching this sister's every move. When Patches died, this sister's words of good bye were simple, "she wasn't just my brother's dog, she was my best friend and I loved her."

All this in a span of nine months.

Then High School began as she entered the ninth grade. A welcome turn in her life, a good change for this sister, now 14. Further along in her recovery, the doctor allowed her to swim. She swam in the family's small backyard pool, and a nearby larger public pool that had lanes for swimming exercise and therapy. As winter set in, she would go to a heated pool. She progressed enough that the doctor let her try out for the high school swim team, even though she labored with pain from the accident. But, even in the pain, a smile had returned to her face.

Tonight, April 23, 2007 - nearly two years after her brother marched to war, she stood on the very same stage where she had sat at his Memorial Service 88 weeks before and presented the Mike Stokely Foundation Scholarship to a deserving high school senior. This fallen soldier's sister was poised and comfortable as she spoke to a crowd of 500 plus, including close family friends Cindy and Rodney B. This was not her first time speaking in front of a crowd as she had given the family remarks at the dedication of a roadway in her brother's honor last October 6 as hundreds, including State political figures and a US Congressman, looked on.

Tonight, as then, this fallen soldier's sister spoke proudly of his service and what he stood for as she presented a scholarship to a senior who had once been an honor student until a car wreck had caused optic nerve damage that led to the student losing enough academic ground that she fell out of the running for academic scholarships. To say the least, this student is the type person this sister's fallen brother, SGT Mike Stokely, would have wanted to reach out and help go to college. So, in his honor and stead, she proudly did it for him. In the weeks to come, she will give out three more scholarships, including one at her brother's high school in Loganville Georgia.

It has been 89 weeks since SGT Mike Stokely died, and he would be ever so proud of his sister. No doubt, I am as well. But, I am left with but one question - what did I ever possibly do to deserve the blessing of three such fine children in my life? If ever you needed proof of God's kindness and unconditional love, then here you have it.


Robert Stokely
proud dad Abbey Stokely
Wesly Stokely and
SGT Mike Stokely KIA 16 Aug 05 near Yusufiyah US Army E 108 CAV 48 BDE GAARNG

H/T Thunder Run

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Local Military News: Kansas and Missouri

Missouri honored it's veterans on Tuesday, April 10th. A rally supporting the troops was held after the event to honor 50 veterans and 77 Missourians who have died since 2003.

“Supporting Troops - Past, Present and Future” echoed throughout Tuesday's events at the Missouri State Capitol.

The ninth Support Your Troops event wrapped up the day with a somber show of appreciation, including the Boone County Pipes and Drums echoing through the Capitol Rotunda, for the 77 Missouri soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the War on Terror. [snip]

A ceremony in the House Chambers presented more than 50 servicemen from all eras, military branches and components with House Resolution 768 recognizing their service.

And the Missouri Veterans Stories Project was unveiled in the Rotunda.

Past commission leadership, Patriot Guard riders, veterans of all backgrounds, state elected officials and friends and family of lost service members gathered for the various recognition events.

More on the Rally

Fifty-seven veterans, whose service stretched from World War II to the Iraq war, were individually announced and presented with a state proclamation detailing their service during a ceremony in the House chamber. Several House members, including Speaker Rod Jetton, are veterans, and two lawmakers who have served in Iraq received official recognition.

Later Tuesday, the ceremonies continued with a drill performance and an evening rally with speeches by several military and political leaders.

Bercina Garstang, who was standing with a small American flag outside the Capitol on Tuesday, said she had come, in part, to honor her son who is on his third deployment in Iraq.

Garstang said her 21-year-old son enlisted in the Marines out of high school and has been injured several times and has not been home in more than two years.

Veterans "have done so much for our country - we owe them a lot for us having our peace of mind here," she said. "We need to stand behind them."

Garstang, from Chamois, said that since her son went to war, ceremonies to thank veterans have a new meaning.[snip]

Retired Lt. Col. Les Spangler said the recognition in the morning ceremony was a long time in coming for many of the state's veterans, whose service in Korea and Vietnam has only been recognized in recent years.

"It grabs you right by the heart to think the state would stop and give recognition and appreciation," he said.

Spangler, enlisted in 1952 and graduated from officer candidate school in 1954. He served in Europe, Korea and Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne division.

He said that the current environment and controversy surrounding the Iraq war makes it especially important to thank military forces to ensure troops do not think their efforts are being ignored.

"I know what happened to me in Vietnam. When I saw that the government didn't want the war, the media wasn't all that supportive of Vietnam, it trickled down to the people, and I don't want to see that happen," Spangler said.

Wounded soldier among Tuesday's honored veterans

Robert “Weston” Schubert clutched an engagement ring in his right hand as Erica entered his room at Walter Reed Medical Center.

He held it out to slide on her ring finger.

No words needed to be spoken in that solidifying moment between the 23 year olds who have been best friends since age 9 - they couldn't have been spoken.

U.S. Army Spc. Schubert was recovering from an Iraqi sniper's fire, which went through his neck and out his mouth. But he was relieved that Erica and his family were still by his side.[snip]

On convalescence leave, Schubert was able to accept a proclamation at the Capitol on Tuesday as part of the celebration of the Missouri Veterans Commission's 75th anniversary.

Noticeably thin - he has lost 40 pounds since December - and with apparent facial injuries, Schubert's peers of the past and present gave him a round of applause as a record of his service was read aloud.

Yet, Schubert - a recipient of two Purple Hearts - noted it was the older veterans, those who were applauding him, that he admired.

“When they read that a World War II veteran was in the infantry in the German theater, that tells me he's gone through a lot,” Schubert said.

“People look at me like a hero, that's fine. But I look to them as my heroes.”

Generations of Missourians Serve

Families like the Dayringers have shared a military heritage that spans generations and branches.

Joe, Paula, their two sons, his father and his uncle all were honored Tuesday as part of the “A Grateful Nation Remembers” veterans recognition ceremony in the Missouri House Chambers.

The Dayringers were among more than 50 veterans from across the state honored as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Missouri Veterans Commission.

Listen to the Lessons of World War I

Ninety years ago this month, another generation of young Americans answered the call to war.

They went willingly, infused with a sense of purpose in a just cause. But they were naïve and enthusiastic and unmindful of the nature of war. Grand adventure awaited them.

The grinding horrors they experienced on the battlefields of France would soon disabuse them of those notions.

But the hard lessons learned by the generation that fought “The war to end all wars” have faded away along with the lives of those who experienced it.

Now, as another April dawns, comes news that of an army of millions mustered in 1917 and 1918 to make the world safe for democracy, only three old men remain.

Who will be left to remember what they did when the last of them passes on?

Well, we in Kansas City have that opportunity thanks to the Liberty Memorial and our National World War I Museum. It’s a chance that we should embrace.

The museum is now being considered to host a commemoration ceremony when the last of the veterans is gone. And starting later this month, the museum is helping to host a series of forums and lectures by noted historians to discuss “The Legacy of the Great War: 90 Years On.”[snip]

Although it seems so long ago, so remote from our own time, we can’t afford to forget the World War I generation.

Jay Winter, one of the participants in the Kansas City presentations, has said you can’t understand our world today without knowing that its roots are firmly planted in the Great War.

From its ashes rose the Nazi movement, the greatest evil to ever blot human history. The Russian revolution and eventually the Cold War were its progeny. And so much of the strife in the Middle East today can be traced to decisions made during the war.

It has become a cliché to say that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, but in so many ways that’s true.

Since 1918, humankind has proved that again and again and again

Missouri Mystery from World War II is Cleared

More than 60 years after his disappearance, Staff Sgt. Norman L. Nell finally will be memorialized.

Nell, of Tarkio, Mo., was only 21 when he disappeared in April 1944 during a World War II mission over New Guinea. He was a U.S. Army crewman on a B-24 Liberator, and his plane was altering course in bad weather and disappeared without a trace — until the wreckage was found in 2001.

Remains of the 10 crewmen had never been identified.

Until now.

The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced that remains of the 10 crew members have finally been identified.[snip]

According to the Department of Defense, Nell’s crew had just bombed enemy targets near Hollandia (now called Jayapura) and was returning to the aerodrome at Nadzab, New Guinea. Bad weather forced the aircraft to alter its course, and the crew never returned to friendly lines.

In late 2001, the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea notified the Department of Defense that wreckage of a World War II bomber had been found in Morobe province. That set in motion a chain of events that, over several years, led to this week’s formal identification.

Officials even found Nell’s high school class ring, which will be sent to Schreiner.

Man Posing as a Marine gets 2 Years Probation

A St. Louis man who posed as a Marine and wore military medals not awarded to him was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation on a federal charge.

Michael Gerald Weilbacher, 48, will also serve 120 hours of community service at a military organization and pay a $3,000 fine. He pleaded guilty Feb. 1.

Weilbacher appeared at the U.S. Marine Corps Ball on Nov. 11 wearing several medals and decorations.

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Baptized in Fire and Blood: 3/3 Cavalry

Brave Rifles! Veterans! You have been baptized in fire and blood and have come out steel!
–General Winfield Scott, 1847

In the annals of American military history, there have been thousands of acts of heroism – men and women whose individual courage merited some of the nation’s highest commendations. It is sometimes forgotten, however, that the ethos of the American warrior does not lie in the individual. Heroism lies in something beyond self, which is why the United States also recognizes those units that display extraordinary gallantry in action, gallantry that sets the unit apart from other units serving in the same conflict.

Long before cities like Fallujah, Ramadi, Qaim, and Husaybah became widely known, the men and women of the 3rd Cavalry formed the nucleus of Task Force Rifles – a regimental combat team, 8,300 troopers strong.

In late April 2003, the team was tasked with securing the volatile Anbar region, a vast 140,000 square-kilometer area the size of Wyoming, which includes some of Iraq’s most forbidding terrain – and some of Iraq ’s most hardened and lethal insurgents. In all, the unit received more than 400 awards for individual acts of valor and 233 purple hearts for their actions in Iraq . But it was their distinguished work as a unit, in the most complex and dangerous region of Iraq, that made them so noteworthy.

Read the rest here.

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If You Are Reading This...

A year after Fort Sumter, the philosopher John Stuart Mill contributed a piece to Harper's Magazine entitled "The Contest in America." Army Maj. David Taylor, who was killed in action on Oct. 22, 2006, always carried a quotation from the essay with him; it was found in his effects after he died. Mill's argument: some things are worth dying for. "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things," Mill wrote. "A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for ... is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

What emerges from the following pages is the sense that the fallen are better men, and women. "We are really fine so long as we have each other over here," Ballard wrote home, and he meant it. Nations go to war over ideas and politics, but minds can change and politics may shift. By their very nature, matters of state are fluid and inconstant. What is constant in war is the humanity of the warrior, and the pain of those left behind, who reach for hands they can no longer touch and listen for voices they can no longer hear, except in the words you are about to read.

From Newsweek, If You Are Reading This...

Audio/Video here.

Email from Major Mike Mundell:

It's busy. We had a midnite and later mission that I cant talk about last nite and I am always doing something. I have to admit, I LIKE this... not as if I were at home with my family, but this is the most intense, most REAL thing I have ever done in my life. The Jundees (IA privates) look to us as if we were heroes come to save them and most of the officers are so pathetically grateful for anything we do to help (except MY counterpart, who is more interested in how many wives I have than learning tactics). They really want to do right and I think this year will be worth all of the pain it is causing me to be away from all of you.

I miss all of you. And no, Mark, Joe and all the rest of you perverts, I did NOT pee my pants under fire. Not yet, anyway.

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