Ft. Hood Shooting

Secretary Gates on Ft. Hood Shooting

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic events today at Fort Hood. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen, the wounded, and all those touched by this incident. There is little we can say at this point to alleviate the pain or answer the many questions this event raises, but I can pledge that the Department of Defense will do everything in its power to help the Fort Hood community get through these difficult times."

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

Soldiers' Angels joins the Secretary in sending thoughts and prayers to Ft. Hood.

We are collecting cards and stuffed animals for the families and children of the fallen/wounded heroes.

Please send cards and stuffed animals/blankets/anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child to:

Soldiers' Angels Warehouse
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

For more details contact ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org


Safe and Well List: If you are based at Ft. Hood or if you are looking for a loved one there, you many register yourself on the "safe and well list" at the Red Cross website.

Blood Donations: The Red Cross has supplied nearly 150 units of blood and blood products to Darnall Army Medical Center and Scott and White Hospital.

Although not all blood donations over the next several days will be needed for the victims of this tragedy, your blood can be used to help treat others with illnesses and injuries. If you are eligible to give blood or have questions about donating, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3543) or go to givelife.org.

Firefight in the Watapur Valley

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Pvt. John Stafinski, a native of Seville, Ohio, fires his M-249 squad automatic weapon during a three-hour gun battle with insurgent fighters in Kunar province, Afghanistan's Waterpur Valley, Nov. 3. Stafinski in an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, based out of Fort Carson, Colo. Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew Moeller, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

Canadians transfer command of Kandahar's 'Role 3' hospital to U.S.

Col. Danielle Savard, left, departing commanding officer at the Role 3 hospital, poses for photos with her replacement, U.S. Navy Capt. Darin Via at a change of command ceremony at RC South headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, Afgahanistan, Oct. 15, 2009. Photograph by: Bruce Ward, Canwest News Service.

Thank you and well done, Canada!

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — The multinational hospital here has "a hard-earned reputation" among coalition soldiers, Col. Danielle Savard, the hospital's departing commanding officer, said Thursday at a change-of-command ceremony.

"They rightfully believe if they arrive with a heartbeat, they will probably survive," said Savard, who handed over command of the Role 3 hospital to U.S. Navy Capt. Darin Via.

The U.S. also takes on lead-nation status from the Canadian Forces.

Canada has been running Role 3 for the past three years.

"We have saved more lives than we possibly thought we would do," said Savard, who took command of the multinational medical unit in the spring of 2009. "We are a multinational unit when you look at the uniforms. However, we are working as one team, with one vision and one goal: saving lives and taking care of each other."

...
Maj. Gen. Mart de Kruif, the International Security Assistance Force's RC South commander, noted in a speech that since he took command last November, coalition forces have lost "253 colleagues and saw more than 600 soldiers evacuated back to their country with life-changing wounds."

Although these figures "sometimes take your breath away, it could have been much, much worse," he said.

In 2009, more than 4,000 patients were taken from the battlefield by medevac helicopter, most of them coalition soldiers, he said.

"All of them needed urgent medical attention. Only a few of them did not survive. These figures show that we have a robust and courageous medical system in place. It also tells you something about our Role 3."

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Savard spoke with pride of the tremendous amount of hard work carried out by medical staff.

"Sometimes we worked 18 hours without a break, just to be sure that the patient comes first. We have saved so many lives, it's hard for us if somebody dies."

Savard said it was an emotional day for her: "It's my big family I'm leaving behind."

Via, who has Role 3 experience in Iraq, said he was "honoured and humbled by taking over from Col. Savard and the Canadians.

"They've done a phenomenal job and it's going to be big shoes to fill but I think we have the right people to make it a successful mission."

Excellent video story from Global News that might take a while to load but is worth the wait. At the end, Maj. Brent Crawford of 1 Field Ambulance - who'd been up all night the night before delegating medical staff and the use of equipment to save the life of a severely wounded American soldier - movingly talks about the reason he's there:

"The thing I miss most about being here in Afghanistan is being with my son. And, ironically, that's the reason why I'm here today. I want to be able to say to myself that I made a very small but personal contribution to making the world a more stable and secure place for him to grow up."

Calling out the Valour-IT Army Team!

PV1 Caven Cox of the U.S. Army's 2nd Platoon Apache Company of 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment performs a rendition of the song "I'm a Little Tea Pot" in front of his platoon as penalty for making a mistake on a recent patrol at Combat Outpost Tangi in Afghanistan's Wardak Province Saturday Aug. 15, 2009. AP.

If the team for the teeniest, tiniest service branch - namely the MARINES - ends up whipping your butts in the Valour-IT fundraising competition, it's gonna be time for the Teapot Dance!!



Welcome and THANK YOU to the newest members of the MARINE TEAM - the WINNING Team!!

Ercille's Universe
LorieByrd.com
"And Another Thing..."
Coalition of the Swilling
Drunken Wisdom
FreeSpiritMind
Write Enough
Interesting News Items
Si Vis Pacem
Castra Praetoria
Hope Radio
Saberpoint
Frank J. Fleming
Scuttlebutt Fuzz
Devil Dog Brew
Loquita's Blog
A Mom and Her Blog
Wake up America
Ace of Spades HQ
Newsbusters
Power Line
IMAO

GO MARINE TEAM!!! Make that Marine thermometer move!

Leadership

Just like back "in the day" in Iraq, General Petraeus walks the walk.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan- Gen. David Petraeus, commander of United States’ Central Command, met with U.S. and Afghan Soldiers, as well as Baraki Barak Sub-Governor Mohammed Lodin and local businessmen at Combat Outpost Baraki Barak, Oct. 30.

Petraeus removed his body armor and made his way out the gate into the bustling marketplace (without his protective equipment). He shook hands, waved to children and invited shoppers down the block to a local bakery for bread and chai. Once seated, with Lodin standing nearby, Petraeus spoke to several locals about their government.

Baraki Barak’s district center, which officially opened the day before Petraeus’ visit, was a topic of many discussions.

“What do you think of your sub governor?” and “How do you feel about the election?” were among the many questions Petraeus asked while sipping chai tea.

Although the Baraki Barak’s district center just barely opened its doors, but the government is already eager for citizens to begin to use the new center to broach their concerns and ideas.

“We’re trying to give them a positive image of what the government is doing here,” said Lodin.

Petraeus made a point of letting the people know how pleased he was with the progress being made in the area.

“The American people have felt privileged to help the people who want to provide for their families,” Petraeus said. “We want nothing more than to help the people who reject the extremism that has caused problems here and elsewhere.”

Although the new district center is a positive start, the work is not done. The Afghan government is still in its early stages and extremists still live amongst the people of Logar province.

“It’s going to take time and it’s going to take cooperation,” Petraeus said, in regards to attaining complete success in ridding Logar of extremism and improving its economy and infrastructure. “It’s going to take sweat from the community, not just money from the outside.”

“This has to be your work,” he added, addressing a local shopkeeper. “We are privileged to help, but as you know, it means more if you build it. We call this sweat equity when you invest your own sweat, your own work.”

Before leaving, he made a point of letting the people know he realized many issues were emotionally charged.

“As we used to say in Iraq, ‘it’s okay to talk ... it’s even okay to shout, it’s just not ok to shoot,” Petraeus said.

I feel for his PSD (Personal Security Detail), but leadership is something done from the front. Thank you General Petraeus for your leadership and for your courage.

Ramstein Air Base sends off last C-130E

The flight crew of the 37th Airlift Squadron’s last E-model C-130 cargo plane steps out to the aircraft en route to Poland on Monday from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The 36-year-old plane is being leased to Poland. Photo: Ben Bloker / Stars and Stripes.

With the wing and U.S. Air Forces in Europe shifting to the bigger, faster and stronger C-130J Super Hercules, 14 E-models were phased out this year.

...
The last to go, Tail No. 72-1299, saw initial duty in the Pacific, where it was first assigned to Clark Air Base in the Philippines to help shuttle American prisoners of the Vietnam war out of Hanoi. It later was assigned to Yokota Air Base in Japan, and most recently, Ramstein. It participated in Operations Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, among other airlift and airdrop missions over the years, military officials at Ramstein said.

Full story at Stars & Stripes.

Marine Cpl Aaron Mankin, A True American Hero

"Those who say we are in a time when there are no Heroes... they just don't know where to look."

- President Ronald Reagan

Please join us in supporting those who have sacrificed so much for all of us. The Valour-IT MARINE TEAM.


Update: More about Aaron and Diana Mankin from Cassandra.

Update: Thank you Michelle Malkin for your support of Valour-IT.

USS New York comes 'home'

AFP:

NEW YORK — The USS New York, a naval vessel whose bow was forged in part with steel from the World Trade Center towers destroyed on 9/11, sailed for the first time Monday into the city's harbor.

The newly built 684-foot (208-meter) amphibious assault ship, designed to carry up to 800 marines and helicopters, marked its maiden voyage into New York with a 21 gun salute just off Ground Zero.

Thousands gathered along the Hudson River to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed on September 11, 2001 and to salute the ship, whose bow section contains 7.5 tons of steel from the towers destroyed by the hijacked airliners.

Do you remember?

Valour-IT Fundraising Auctions

"Guardian Angel": A Marine from 1st BN, 4th Marines stands guard outside an emergency ordinance disposal site. By Michael D. Fay.

Lots of great items now up for auction at the Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT eBay site, all of them generously donated by their owners to raise money for Valour-IT.

The print above, called "Guardian Angel" is signed by USMC combat artist Michael D. Fay. Image size: 9” x 13”. Print size: 16 x 20. Bids are starting at $20.

Chief Warrant Officer-2 Fay is one of only two combat artists employed by the United States Marine Corps to produce fine art based on their experience of combat and the life of fellow Marines in the field. His work is displayed in various museums such as the James A. Michener Art Museum, the Marine Corps Combat Art collection, and in the new National Museum of the Marine Corps.

One of Fay's works is also proudly displayed at Landstuhl hospital.

All of the items up for auction can be found here, and the list is growing daily!

Gin rummy at the FST

Medics Spc. Jessica Damitz, left, and Spc. Chasity Moment play cards with Spc. Mathew Murphy of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-87 Infantry Battalion on Aug. 12. Murphy, who was injured in an IED explosion while on patrol and suffered a traumatic brain injury, beat both the medics at gin rummy. Photo: Erin Grace Trieb / PANOS.

The therapy started by these caring medics by playing gin rummy with their patient will continue long after this Soldier's return to the US. In addition to providing laptop computers to wounded service members, Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT also provides technology such as "Personal GPS" devices, which help build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI.