Petraeus Assumes Leadership of U.S. Central Command

New head of the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus covers his heart as troops applaud during change of command ceremonies Friday morning Oct. 31, 2008 at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. Petraeus takes over the command from U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

"This blanket is proof that there are still many back home that love and support us."

Received by one of our sewers from a former patient at Landstuhl:

My name is SGT ( ... ), and I just received one of your beautiful blankets. I want to thank you for not only your support, but the time that you put into showing how much you care.

This blanket is proof that there are still many back home that love and support us.

I know that it will be used well, and when I am done with it, I will pass it on to my son, so that he'll know that there are others out there that support his daddy too.

Again, I appreciate your support and say thanks from all of us.

I'd like to add my thanks to all of our blanket donors. If you've been thinking about doing this, remember you don't even have to know how to sew! The fleece blankets with the knots tied all around the edges are very popular among the guys ;-)

Important changes to PAC eligibility

Wounded troops’ pay overhauled

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, October 29, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — Wounded servicemembers whose combat-related injuries are diagnosed after they return home can keep their special pays while hospitalized, Defense officials said Tuesday.

The move is one of the major changes that are part of the Pay and Allowance Continuation Program, or PAC, which allows wounded servicemembers to continue to collect special pays after they are hospitalized.

Previously, wounded servicemembers’ injuries had to be diagnosed in the combat zone for them to receive the compensation.

Now servicemembers are eligible for PAC if they for injuries that were not detected in the combat zone, such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"In the event that you return from the combat zone and experience an injury that you were not hospitalized for previously, the PAC is payable," said Tim Fowlkes, assistant director of military compensation.

In May, PAC replaced an earlier program that paid wounded servicemembers $430 per month to cover their hardship duty pay, hostile fire pay and the incidental expense portion of their temporary duty per diem allowance, officials said.

PAC expands the compensation for wounded servicemembers to include other special pays to which they are entitled, such as jump pay and dive pay, said Virginia Penrod, director of compensation.

The program also covers troops injured by hostile fire in injuries not deemed combat zones, such as South and Central America, officials said.

In another change, wounded servicemembers may receive PAC for up to a year after they are hospitalized, with further extensions possible, Penrod said.

Under the old program, wounded servicemembers lost the extra money as soon as their Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance benefits kicked in, prompting some servicemembers to avoid taking TSGLI, she said.

Wounded servicemembers who were compensated under the old program were transitioned to PAC on May 15, Penrod said. The program is not retroactive.

Daddy's home!

SA Germany volunteer Jessica (note the t-shirt) with family. Hubby Mike has been gone for a while participating in a JTF - East training exercise, as you may remember from this post Welcome home, Mike!!

OORAH, Zach!

Some of you will recall meeting Cpl. Zach Briseno.

Zach remembers seeing the bones sticking out of his arm after the blast.

But, incredibly, he didn't notice his feet were gone until shortly before the flight to Germany.

Well, guess what Zach did on Sunday?

He competed in the Marine Corps freakin' Marathon.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Zachary Briseno of Texas, who lost both legs in an IED attack in Iraq in 2007, prepares to compete in the hand chair race. Photo: Joe Gromelski / S&S.

Delivering justice

Two successful cross-border operations yesterday. Good to hear we're becoming more agressive in moving against those responsible for the deaths and injuries of US service members and innocent civilians while hiding just across a border.

Unmanned Predator aircraft carried out a strike in South Waziristan, Pakistan near the Afghanistan border on Sunday. According to reports, senior Taliban leader Haji Omar Khan was among those killed.

And US helicopters flew members of Task Force 88 five miles over the Iraqi border into Syria where they "decaptiated" an al Qaeda network which funnels fighters, weapons, and money into Iraq. Al Qaeda leader Abu Ghadiya was killed along with his entire senior leadership.

Brett Winterble discusses these and other operations with Bill Roggio at Covert Radio today.

Angels watching over my boy

Jeremy at Landstuhl hospital with Soldiers' Angel and nurse CDR Chris Kirstein-Blackburn, USN.

Dear Soldiers’ Angels,

My son was seriously injured on May 31st, 2008 by an IED in Afghanistan. He called us at 2am on June 1st. Going back to sleep of course was not to be so I logged onto my computer to send out prayer requests for him.

I also emailed SA and asked them to contact his adopted Angel so she would not be sending him packages and mail. Patti [founder of SA] immediately sent me a reply and forwarded my email to MaryAnn in Germany.

By 9am that morning I not only received an email from MaryAnn but she called me from Germany! She provided me with general information about the medevac process, what to expect in terms of timing, etc. What a wonderful phone call!

The most awesome thing she did though was to contact Chris of the SA Germany team and asked her to visit Jeremy! Chris visited him more than once, took him a backpack filled with much needed supplies, presented him with a beautiful Quilt of Valor AND took pictures of him! My heart still leaps when I look at the pictures she emailed me. It was so comforting getting to see him and to know that Angels in Germany were watching over my boy!

Shortly after our arrival at the hospital in Ft. Gordon, GA, Soldiers' Angel Carla came to check on us. Jeremy's room was sweltering hot so she went out and bought a fan, among other things. That fan was used 24-7 for months! She was so cute and sweet and really brightened up our day! She had a long drive to get to us but we really appreciated her visit. My guys would have loved it if she could have visited daily. :-)

Later, during one of my darkest moments, MaryAnn put me in touch with yet another Angel named Carren whose husband had been wounded in Iraq. What a sweetheart! She talked to me for hours and I felt so good afterwards. She recommended websites and books to read. I can't tell you how much it helped to speak with someone who has been through all this.

Jeremy continues his recovery at Ft. Gordon and has had a total of 17 surgeries on his right leg. Today he called to tell me that he had walked all day without his crutches! He is doing so well that he will soon transition to an outpatient.

Soldiers’ Angels has been such a huge blessing to Jeremy and to us. Words cannot express our love and gratitude for these amazing Angels.

With Kindest Regards,

Jill & Joe Smith

PFC Jeremy Smith, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) receiving his Purple Heart in July accompanied by his TC, SSG Showers (right). Jill said the ceremony was "very patriotic, moving and there were not too many dry eyes by the end of it. I am so proud of our military and of being an American!!"

Forever in our hearts

Marine LCpl Ricky Slocum, 2/2/85 - 10/24/04

“It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray haired.

But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives – the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to everything for our country, for us.

And all we can do is remember.”

- President Ronald Reagan

They came in peace

Beirut bombing victims, left to right, Lance Cpls. Burham Matthews, Lovelle Moore and Mike J. Balcom talk to reporters at the Landstuhl Army hospital. Stephanie James / Stripes file photo.

25 years ago.

Operation: Wrapped in Holiday Spirit

Angels Aim to Wrap the Troops in Bipartisan Holiday Spirit

Non-profit leads Americans in putting aside political passions and ideologies to focus on patriotic support of American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines by sending 180,000 US packages to deployed troops for the Holiday season with the message, "We haven't forgotten you, we support you, and we believe in you!"

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) October 22, 2008 -- During this season of intense political passions and partisanship, non-profit Soldiers' Angels offers Americans of all persuasions the patriotic opportunity to help ensure every service member in Iraq and Afghanistan receives a holiday gift of love and gratitude, through the 2008 Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package drive. The shipping deadline is rapidly approaching, and additional donations are urgently needed.

During this time of political division, Americans can reach across our divides to support the troops. This December, an estimated 180,000 men and women will be serving overseas, away from their families for as much as a third or fourth tour in a combat zone. Wrapped in Holiday Spirit helps ensure each deployed hero is touched by the generosity of Americans the Holiday season.

"Together as a country, we can make a difference in a soldier's winter Holiday. Soldiers' Angels is proud to offer America the chance to directly impact those who serve our great country by giving them a Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package full of love and support," says Patti Patton-Bader, founder of Soldiers' Angels.

This is no ordinary care package. In addition to the traditional gifts and treats such as a mug, hot chocolate, snacks, socks and a hand-written card, each Wrapped in Holiday Spirit package will contain a very special patriotic blanket symbolizing the embrace of the American people. The blanket embodies the message that Americans continue to believe in them, and will help them face the cold nights of a desert winter.

Beyond standard donations, Soldiers' Angels also offers Americans the opportunity to complete their holiday shopping by making a tax-deductible donation in honor of friends, family, co-workers or teachers, etc. A donation of just $18.75 will give a soldier a Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package, and Soldiers' Angels will provide a beautifully printed certificate for the donor to present as a gift in commemoration of the honor donation.

ABOUT SOLDIERS' ANGELS
Soldiers' Angels is a non-profit providing assistance to active duty soldiers and their families, continuing support for veterans, and encouragement to the wounded and families of the fallen. Through more than 20 different teams and programs, the volunteer-based organization offers care packages, personalized letters, comfort items and a wide variety of other support to American service members and their families. Visit www.soldiersangels.org for more information.

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