31 December 2014

Auld Lang Syne




To friends and loved ones who can't be with us; and to those who are no longer with us.

You are always in our hearts.

Auld Lang Syne (to days gone by)... farewell 2014.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2015.

25 December 2014

Merry Christmas!


The Christmas Tree at Landstuhl Hospital Fisher House. Photo: Soldiers' Angels.



And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.

For unto you
is born this day in the city
of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord.



Thank you and Merry Christmas to all of our generous supporters. May you find joy this holiday season knowing you have uplifted our Wounded Warriors through the priceless gift of love.

At Christmastime and always, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines serving all over the world hold a special place in our hearts.

Your Soldiers' Angels Team in Germany

24 December 2014

Gold Star Christmas


To our Gold Star families, with love.


Merry Christmas from Heaven

I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on cold wintery nights

I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I'll even remind you
to please say your prayers

I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd

Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place

You don't have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
If you continue the climb

To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I'm still close beside you
In a new special place

I love you all dearly
now don't shed a tear
Cause I'm spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year.


--John Wm. Mooney, Jr



23 December 2014

Never Forget Our Wounded Veterans and Their Caregivers


Dahlia and Justin Constantine. Photo: Forbes.

From Forbes Magazine:

It was supposed to be a routine combat patrol, but it became a life-changing event for a Marine Corps Reserve officer, Major Justin Constantine.

Less than two months after volunteering to deploy with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines to Iraq in 2006, the civil affairs team leader was shot in the head by an enemy sniper near Fallujah. The bullet caused catastrophic damage, destroying his jaw and much of his face. He was not expected to survive. But Justin Constantine is a Marine. And thanks to the immediate efforts of a Navy corpsman, his own warrior spirit, and the self-less dedication of the woman who became his wife, he has made an amazing recovery.

Read the rest of his inspirational story at Forbes.

18 December 2014

Bagram Aerovac to Landstuhl


Tech. Sgt. Richard Holguin, 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight respiratory therapist, adjusts respiratory equipment during a flight from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan Dec. 14, 2014. Members of the 10th EAEF provided in-flight medical care to an American Soldier wounded in Afghanistan while he was being transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Katherine Tereyama/RELEASED.

15 December 2014

The Mighty Moms of Walter Reed



There couldn't be a better name for these women:
WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Some of the unsung heroes inside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are the mothers of wounded warriors - military members who have been severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Around the halls of Walter Reed, they've been dubbed the Mighty Moms, a fearless, feisty group of mothers fighting for their wounded children. 
"They understand your life. You don't have to explain it," said Stacy Fidler, whose son Mark is still recovering from serious war injuries. 
"We're strong. We will do anything for our kids. We fight a lot of battles," said Vallence Scott, who's been caring for her wounded son, Robert. 
"Our sons can't speak up, but we can," said Tammy Karcher, the primary caregiver for son, Jeffrey. 
Most Americans focus on the service and sacrifice of our military, but these women have put their own lives on hold, often for years, ever since receiving the call every family dreads. 
"Leaving your other children, I was running two households. The stress was way out of control," added Karcher. 
"When I talk about it, I really get teary about it because I just thank God he's here," said Scott. 
"That's the most important thing for me." 
Their love for their children, and each other, is unconditional.
Much more at the link. And don't forget there is a great new book about them, called Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed. A portion of the proceeds go to the families featured in the book.

14 December 2014

Christmas at Arlington


Holiday wreaths adorn the graves of fallen service members across Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Dec. 13, 2014. Volunteers placed about 700,000 remembrance wreaths on National Wreaths Across America Day. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.



Volunteers prepare to unload a truck of wreaths on Wreaths Across America Day in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Dec. 13, 2014. Thousands of volunteers helped place about 700,000 wreaths at the graves of fallen service members as part of the annual event. U.S. Army photo by Alfredo Barraza.